Road scraper and grader



(No Model.)

0. H. DANA.

ROAD SGRAPER AND GRADER.

No. 337,930. Patented Mar. 16, 1886.

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UNTTED STATES CHARLES H. DANA, OF \VEST ROAD SCRAPER LEBANON, NEIV HAMPSHIRE.

AND GRADER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 337,930, dated March 16, 1886,

Serial No. 179,709. tNnmodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. DANA, a citizen of the United States, residing at West Lebanon, in the county of Grafton and State of New Hampshire,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Road Scrapers and Graders; and I do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

The object of my invention is to provide in aeompact device means for scraping and carry ing the earth; also, if desired, for distributing the earth scraped up over the road,and thereafter grading and rolling it.

My invention consists in the combination of the frame, capable of rocking or balancing upon an angle in the bearing-surface,with the scraper in the rearof the angle of inclination and the handles.

My invention also consists in inclining the bottom of the frame or body as shown, and providing it at or near the angle of inclination with a roller, which causes the frame resting thereon to balance more easily, lightens the draft, and acts as a gage for the scraper; also in combining with said frame a front and rear platform, the former having a sharper inclined grading-plate and a draw-head; also in combining with the frame, with or without a roll, a curved scraper provided with lateral turfcutters; also in combining with said scraper a trap-plate,which holds the earth following up the curve of the scraper, or allows it to fall slowly or quickly in front of it, all of which will be fully described below.

In the drawings,Figure lisa side elevation, one side of the frame removed. Fig. 2 is a plan view, and Fig. 3 is a detail of the trapplate.

Like letters refer to like parts.

A A represent the sides of the frame, between which are two transverse partitions, a (1 and B B are the handles. The bottom of each frame-side consists of two inclined portions, '1) I), the former inclined upward in the filling position of the scraper at a greater angle.

By flooring between the sides A A there is formed a front platform 0, of which partition a is the rear end. Said platform has a drawhead, c, and is shod forward with a more sharply-inclined grading-plate D. On the rear of the diminished frame-sides there is also a flat platform, E. The purpose of both platforms will appear below. The roller F, when used, is placed at or just forward of the angle of inclination of the frame-sides, and extends but little below the axle c, entering said sides as shown. By this arrangement the frame and connected parts easily balance on the roll, or can be tipped up or down to carry out the functions of the machine without the roll, as the center of gravity should be but little forward of the roller or the angle of the inclined bottom. The depth of the roller be low the frame will also act as a gage for the bite of the scraper in the rear.

G is the Scraper, which consists of a curved plate sharpened at the bottom and fastened to crescent-shaped supports g,bolted to the frame. It is evident that this scraper may be adjustably fastened to said supports, to cause the former to bite deeper or shallower, as desired. The form of the scraper is important, as it takes into the earth easily and guides it upward. At the bottom of the scraper asharpened colter or turf-cutter, H, is attached to each side of the frame. The shape of theseis not material, and their operations will readily be seen.

In front of the scraper a trap-plate, J, is arranged. One side of this is bent around or loosely fastened to a bail, J, which may be pulled up or pushed down in the corresponding grooves, H, in the frame-side. The object of this plate is to receive and hold the earth coming up the scraper, or by lifting the bail to release it evenly in a sheet or to dump it s'uddenly when desired. It will be noticed that when the weight of the earth presses the plate down to rest on the lower part of the scraper the partition a, the plate, and scraper will form with the frame-sides a compartment or load-chamber.

A description of the operation of the ma chine will briefly and fully show the functions ofits elements. The driver steps on the rear platform, which forces the cutters and scraper in contact with the hardest ground or turf. The scraper then planes off an inch or so of ICO earth,which,following up the scraper,tilts the trap-plate and gradually loads upon it. When the weight of the earth has forced the plate down upon the scraper, the driver steps off. Now, by raising the handles, the balancingframe throws the weight on the roller, when used, after which the load may be carried by easy draft to any desired place on the road or to a dump. If the roller is not used,the bottom of the front platform will be the bearingsurface.

- If it is desired to grade the road, it is only necessary to pull up the bail slightly, when the weight of the earth will push the trap-plate below the scraper, which will distribute the earth falling in front of it in an even sheet .over the road-bed. The driver then steps on the front platform and drives back over it,the grading-plate and thebottom of said platform smoothing in the meantime the new earth,and the roller packing it down. Where the road is smooth and the distance of transportation short, the trap-plate may be dispensed with; but where the ground is rough it is necessary to prevent the load from shaking out.

It is desirable to state,finally,that the roller is not essential always to the device,as there will be many opportunities for using it without, where the distance to be worked over is short,or where lightening the draft is no object.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination,with the frame, having its bottom inclined in opposite directions, of the scraper placed in the rear of the angle of inclination, and the handles, whereby the scraper is caused to bite into the ground by depressing the rear of the frame or easily lifted to discharge its load, as set forth.

2. The combination, with the frame provided or not with a roller, or the equivalent, and a scraper, of the front platform and its grading-plate, as set forth.

3. The combination,with the frame capable of rocking on an angle of its oppositely-inclined bottom, of a scraper in the rear of said angle and the front and rear platforms, as set forth.

4. The combination of the frame having its bottom inclined in opposite directions, substantially as shown, and a scraper with the roller placed at or near the angle of inclination, whereby the frame balances on the roller and the draft is made easy, as set forth.

5. In a road-scraper, the combination, with the scraper, of the trap-plate, as set forth. 

